Written Answers Tuesday 27 March 2007

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances are reserved for hospital-to-hospital transfers, broken down by NHS board.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances reserved for dealing with 999 calls have been involved in the transfer of patients from hospitals to specialist centres in other hospitals for emergency treatment in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The only ambulances reserved for hospital to hospital transfers are Medic 1 in Edinburgh, Medic 2 in Glasgow and four neonatal ambulances. Other hospital to hospital transfers are undertaken by any available ambulances, whether accident and emergency or patient transport service, depending on the needs of the patient. The Scottish Ambulance Service does not reserve ambulances for hospital transfers. Accident and emergency ambulances are tactically deployed using predicted demand and satellite tracking systems.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for ambulance transfers from hospitals to specialist centres in other hospitals for elective treatment.

Mr Andy Kerr: By its very nature, elective treatment is not an emergency. The Scottish Ambulance Service agrees the time for the transfer to take place with the patients clinician.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were transferred to specialist centres in other hospitals for emergency treatment following emergencies arising during elective procedures in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of emergency inter-hospital transfers carried out by the Scottish Ambulance Service over the last two years (only years available) are set out in the following table:

  

 
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Emergency transfers
 7,427
 8,576



  Note:*Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were transferred to hospital as a matter of urgency after a first-response ambulance attended in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: As a result of the extensive range of skills which can now be carried out by ambulance crews, in the majority of cases the emergency is over once a member of the Scottish Ambulance Service arrives at the patient. Only on very rare occasions would an ambulance with a patient on board travel to the hospital under blue lights and sirens.

  In 2005-06 and 2006-07 (to date), the number of patients treated at scene who did not need to go to hospital compared against the number of patients responded to is set out in this table:

  

 
 2005-06
 2006-07 to date


 Number of patients treated scene, not transferred to hospital
 33,076
 33,533


 Number of patients responded to
 354,974
 361,573



  Note: *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many second-response ambulances attended patients to whom first-response ambulances had already attended as an emergency, in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The priority based dispatch system provides for the dispatcher in the emergency medical dispatch centre to deploy the most appropriate resource to an emergency call. If that resource is a single crewed rapid response unit, then the dispatcher immediately deploys a second resource.

  There are many other occasions where more than one ambulance could be deployed, for example road traffic accidents with multiple casualties. The policy of the Scottish Ambulance Service is to encourage ambulance crews to seek back up if they consider that it is required.

  The number of additional emergency responses to emergency incidents in each of the last five years is listed in the following table:

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07 to 11-3-07


 Total
 40,176
 74,154
 68,939
 53,869
 57,758



  Note:*Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, in instances where first-response ambulances are called to an emergency and request second-response ambulances to attend to transfer patients to hospital, what the target response times are for the second ambulances in (a) urban and (b) remote and rural areas.

Mr Andy Kerr: The response time targets for second or back-up resources in mainland Scotland are within 14, 19 or 21 minutes, depending on the population density. The target times broken down by health board area are set out in the following table:

  

 Health Board Area
 Target


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde#
 14 minutes


 Lothian
 19 minutes


 Lanarkshire
 19 minutes


 Fife
 19 minutes


 Ayrshire and Arran
 21 minutes


 Borders
 21 minutes


 Dumfries and Galloway
 21 minutes


 Forth Valley
 21 minutes


 Grampian
 21 minutes


 Highland
 21 minutes


 Tayside
 21 minutes



  Notes:

  #The Clyde area of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has a target of 21 minutes.

  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether second-response ambulances are always staffed with two ambulance personnel, one of whom is a paramedic.

Mr Andy Kerr: The policy provides for an accident and emergency ambulance to be double crewed and to have a paramedic on board. However, there may be circumstances when it is not possible to achieve this and the choice is to crew an ambulance with two technicians or to run a shift with a single-manned ambulance which in certain circumstances might then require a back-up response.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances are available at any one time in (a) urban and (b) remote and rural areas, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Service operates through six divisions and three emergency medical dispatch centres and uses satellite location systems to determine the nearest available resource to the request for an ambulance. The service does not deploy according to NHS board areas but deploys according to demand patterns. The services aim is to mobilise the nearest available resource no matter which area it is in. This is compatible with best practice and is a system operated by all UK ambulance services.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances are off the road at any one time as a result of (a) mechanical fault in the vehicle or (b) lack of equipment in (i) urban and (ii) remote and rural areas, broken down by NHS board.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for checking that the emergency equipment carried by ambulances is fit for purpose.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ambulances are automatically removed from service if any piece of their emergency equipment is found to be faulty before a shift.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) target replacement time and (b) replacement procedure is for any piece of faulty emergency equipment in ambulances and who is responsible for ensuring that the replacement is made.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is no precise response to this question as by the very nature of mechanical vehicles this is unpredictable. Crews are trained to check the ambulance and equipment at the start of each shift since they are responsible for it.

  A modern accident and emergency ambulance is a complex and sophisticated vehicle with many different types of equipment. The non-use of an ambulance would depend on the particular item of equipment which the crew consider to be faulty. If this happens, a spare vehicle would be used. The Scottish Ambulance Service has 30% spare accident and emergency vehicles which are used to cover shift over-runs, additional shifts, vehicle breakdowns and maintenance.

  The ambulance service currently operates its youngest fleet of vehicles ever, with the average age of an accident and emergency vehicle being two and a half years, and the average age of a patient transport vehicle of three and a half years.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on reviews of NHS services since 1990.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the recommendations made in reviews of NHS services since 1990 have been implemented, broken down by subject and giving the timescales for implementation.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into the cost of undertaking further reviews of NHS services compared with the cost-effectiveness of implementing in full the recommendations of earlier reviews of the same service.

Mr Andy Kerr: No such research has been carried out.

Ambulance Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the criteria for measuring response times for 999 calls for ambulances to demonstrate that the criteria are standardised, in light of the recent article in the British Medical Journal, Treating the clock and not the patient: ambulance response times and risk .

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the criteria for determining whether a 999 call made for an ambulance is an emergency to demonstrate that the criteria are standardised, in light of the recent article in the British Medical Journal, Treating the clock and not the patient: ambulance response times and risk .

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16363 on 18 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made to pupils and teachers at Drumchapel High School who have called for improved rights for children from asylum seeking families, particularly while they are preparing for exams.

Robert Brown: The Scottish Executives priority is for the children and families involved to be treated with dignity and respect in their dealings with the asylum system. A significant package of measures that will make a real difference to the children of asylum seekers in Scotland was agreed last March.

  We have agreed lead professional arrangements with the Home Office and Glasgow City Council which will mean that upcoming exams are taken into account. The Minister for Education and Young People provided a detailed written update on the implementation of this and the wider agreement to the Communities and Education Committees on 20 March 2007, and a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42401).

  Ministers have written a number of letters to pupils from Drumchapel High School in recent times in response to the concerns they have raised about the treatment of asylum seeker children. We share many of those concerns and have raised them directly with Immigration Ministers and the Home Secretary.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made to calls by the Educational Institute of Scotland to end the use of dawn raids in the forced extradition of unsuccessful asylum seekers.

Robert Brown: Asylum decisions and the handling of individual cases are for the Home Office.

  Our priorities are for asylum seekers in Scotland to be treated humanely and with dignity and respect in their dealings with the asylum system, and for the impact on friends and communities left behind when families are removed to be acknowledged and ameliorated.

  The Scottish Executive maintains contact with the Educational Institute of Scotland and other Scottish stakeholders.

  We understand that the Home Office have recently held a number of information events with stakeholders in Glasgow (including schools) to explain more about each stage of the asylum process, which have been positively received.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the lead professional arrangements between Glasgow City Council and the Home Office which formed part of the agreement reached with the Home Office in March 2006 in respect of asylum seeker families.

Robert Brown: We have reached agreement with the Home Office and with Glasgow City Council on lead professional arrangements which should ensure that the rights, needs and interests of children in asylum seeker families are given earlier and on-going consideration.

  The Minister for Education and Young People wrote to the Conveners of the Parliaments Education and Communities Committees on 20 March 2007 to provide a detailed update on the implementation of the March 2006 agreement. That letter has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42401).

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of the full implementation of all strands of the agreement reached in March 2006 between the Executive and the Home Office regarding the treatment of asylum seeker families.

Robert Brown: The Minister for Education and Young People provided a detailed written update on the implementation of the March 2006 agreement to the Communities and Education Committees on 20 March 2007, and a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42401).

Birds

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which priority species, listed in the EU habitats or birds directives, are known to be declining in either range or number in Scotland and what action is proposed to address such decline.

Sarah Boyack: The Habitats Directive identifies priority non-bird species which are particularly vulnerable. None of these is known to occur in Scotland. The Birds Directive does not list any priority species.

Contraception

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in extending the provision of long-acting reversible methods of contraception in accordance with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines published in October 2005.

Mr Andy Kerr: The National Sexual Health Strategy makes it clear that the Executive would expect the full range of contraceptive methods, including long-acting reversible contraception, to be made available to women, who will be facilitated to make an informed choice.

  In addition, Scottish Executive Officials wrote to all NHS boards on 8 February 2007, detailing the introduction of a new key clinical indicator which will aim to measure the proportion of women of reproductive age using long-acting reversible contraception in each NHS board. This data is being collected at present and a report will be produced in the summer.

Contraception

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have been given long-acting reversible methods of contraception in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of patients receiving contraception is not held centrally.

  However, the following table shows the number of prescription items for contraceptive implants, injections and intra-uterine devices prescribed in Scotland during last three financial years by GP practices. Data given refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

  

 Health Board
 Year Ending 31 March


 Prescribing Health Board
 2004
 2005
 2006


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 6,209 
 6,503 
 5,605 


 NHS Borders
 2,409 
 2,758 
 2,622 


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 4,346 
 4,381 
 3,876 


 NHS Fife
 8,088 
 8,524 
 8,362 


 NHS Forth Valley
 6,402 
 6,437 
 5,760 


 NHS Grampian
 15,264 
 16,111 
 16,079 


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 15,065 
 15,764 
 15,216 


 NHS Highland
 6,862 
 7,313 
 7,331 


 NHS Lanarkshire
 7,502 
 8,166 
 7,787 


 NHS Lothian
 12,063 
 12,495 
 12,083 


 NHS Orkney
 564 
 588 
 596 


 NHS Shetland
 463 
 507 
 458 


 NHS Tayside
 8,364 
 9,332 
 9,262 


 NHS Western Isles
 647 
 677 
 569 


 Total
 94,248 
 99,556 
 95,606

Contraception

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that (a) GPs and (b) other health professionals involved in family planning services are trained in the use of long-acting reversible methods of contraception.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for GPs, as independent practitioners, to identify their own personal learning needs related to the health needs of their own patients, facilitated by annual appraisal system, and seek training in specific areas accordingly. The General Medical Services contract incentivises GP practices to undertake family planning activities through enhanced services.

  Following a recommendation within Respect and Responsibility, NHS boards are seeking to identify if there are gaps in sexual health training and put in place plans to take appropriate action to address them.

  In addition, the faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, specifies the training requirements for contraceptive services, with specifications including the requirements for trainers.

  The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee, which I chair, has a sub-group specifically considering training for health care professionals who provide sexual health and well-being services within NHSScotland. That sub-group is due to report later this year.

Contraception

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) GP practices and (b) other family planning clinics provide long-acting reversible methods of contraception.

Mr Andy Kerr: In the year ending 31 March 2006, 93% of GP practices with prescriptions dispensed in this period prescribed long-acting reversible methods of contraception in the form of injections, implants and intra-uterine devices.

  Information on the provision of long-acting reversible methods of contraception by family planning clinics is not held centrally.

Drug Misuse

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in ensuring that women with problematic drug use have access to specialist family planning services that are able to advise on and administer long-acting reversible contraception, as recommended by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in its 2003 report, Hidden Harm .

Mr Andy Kerr: Local NHS boards are working with drug and alcohol teams to ensure that women with problematic drug use have access to specialist family planning services and this should include long-acting reversible contraception.

  We expect all those working with vulnerable pregnant and postnatal women to provide them with the necessary information and advice to access appropriate contraceptive advice postnatally.

  We expect the results of an audit by NHS Health Scotland of practices related to data in response to substance misuse to provide us with useful information to plan future educational programmes and support for staff working with this vulnerable group.

Drug Misuse

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to improve access to contraceptive services by women with problematic drug use in line with the recommendations of Hidden Harm , published in 2003 by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and the Executives response in 2004 and subsequent Next Steps response in 2006.

Mr Andy Kerr: A number of separate initiatives are being carried out by NHS boards, these include: making a range of condoms and lubricants more extensively available free of charge to targeted high risk groups; improved links and cross membership between strategy groups responsible for drugs, alcohol, blood borne viruses and contraceptive services to those with substance misuse problems; improved family planning advice and contraceptive services to those with substance misuse problems at the point of contact when they are being offered treatment, and a sexual health clinic specifically to target hard to reach groups including drug users and female and male sex workers.

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many commercial salmon netting stations are in operation and, of these, how many are in private ownership.

Sarah Boyack: These data are not collected as part of the annual survey of salmon and sea trout catches, as an operator of more than one fishery may combine catches in a single return. However, the number of returns made in respect of netting stations (excluding nil returns) for 2005, the most recent year for which data are available are:

  
Net and coble - 34 returns.
  Fixed engine - 43 returns.
  Total from netting operations 77 returns.


  The right to fish for salmon is a private, heritable title, so all fisheries are in private ownership. Some fisheries may be operated by tenants.

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many commercial salmon netting stations are in operation, also expressed as a proportion of the number in operation when records began.

Sarah Boyack: These data are not collected as part of the annual survey of salmon and sea trout catches, as an operator of more than one fishery may combine catches in a single return. However, the number of returns made in respect of netting stations (excluding nil returns) for 2005, the most recent year for which data are available, and the number expressed a s a proportion of the 1952 (year when records started) are:

  
Net and coble - 34 returns - proportion of 1952 total = 0.36.
  Fixed engine - 43 returns - proportion of 1952 total = 0.32.
  Total from netting operations 77 returns - proportion of 1952 total = 0.34.

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many commercial salmon netting stations were in operation when records began.

Sarah Boyack: These data are not collected as part of the annual survey of salmon and sea trout catches, as an operator of more than one fishery may combine catches in a single return. However, the number of returns made in respect of netting stations (excluding nil returns) for 1952 (year when records started) are:

  
Net and coble - 94 returns.
  Fixed engine - 135 returns.

General Practitioners

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated number of face-to-face contacts with patients by GPs was in the NHS Forth Valley area in the last year for which information is available.

Mr Andy Kerr: The requested information is not available.

Health

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the public health network referred to by the Minister for Health and Community Care in a letter to me of 8 January 2007; what the networks objectives are, and how its work is monitored.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Public Health Networks (ScotPHNs) remit is to facilitate joint working between all organisations involved in health improvement and health services by providing a means of communication and through specific projects in areas of national importance.

  The objectives of the network are to:

  
undertake prioritised national pieces of work where there is a clearly identified need, which will impact on planning and decision making at both national and local level. This will be facilitated by using the skills, knowledge and expertise, which are spread widely across Scotland, in addressing public health issues, and
  to create effective communication amongst professionals and the public to allow efficient co-ordination of public health activity. To share information effectively so that duplication of effort is avoided.


  The network has a steering group which is chaired by a Director of Public Health. Its membership is drawn from key individuals from relevant organisations. It agrees and guides the ScotPHN work programme.

  Governance of the ScotPHN is undertaken by a stakeholder group including broad representation from organisations responsible for delivering health improvement and health services. The ScotPHN is facilitated and monitored by a lead clinician with the support of a project manager. The ScotPHN is hosted by NHS Health Scotland.

  ScotPHN is open to everyone in Scotland who has a professional interest and significant involvement in the wider health improvement agenda including staff from the NHS, local authorities, academia and others. The ScotPHN work programme is still under development as it has been fully functioning for less than six months.

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were carried out in hospitals in NHS Forth Valley in each year since 2000.

Mr Andy Kerr: It should be noted that the successful implementation of Delivering for Health (launched in October 2005) is already bringing about a fundamental shift in the balance of care. This, quite appropriately, places a greater emphasis on anticipatory care so that those at risk of ill health receive the services they need. In effect, the NHS in Scotland is no longer waiting for people to become ill, then sending them to hospital for urgent treatment. Instead, the Executive and NHS is doing more than ever before to encourage people to lead healthy lives, and spotting and dealing with poor health before it can develop into something more serious. When people do need treatment, the Executive and NHS are committed to delivering more of it closer to home in local communities.

  Operations are carried out within NHSScotland in a wide range of settings dependent on a number of factors including the complexity of the operation and the clinical and personal needs of the patient.

  The number of operations and procedures undertaken as in-patients or day cases is published on the ISD Scotland website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/Annual_trends_in_surgical_procedures_hbt_February2007.xls.

  All procedures undertaken in NHS Forth Valley can be selected using the procedure and NHS board of treatment menus within the file. From April 2003, NHS Forth Valley reclassified some minor procedures and endoscopies previously coded as day case procedures to out-patient procedures.

  Operations can also be performed in an out-patient setting. From April 2003, the national reporting of surgical activity in out-patients has been required and ISD Scotland has been working with NHS boards to develop full compliance nationally. At this stage only a proportion of boards have achieved extensive coverage and further work will be necessary before a complete account of all out-patient surgical activity can be made. Emerging findings from the data collection for out-patient procedures are published in the data development section of the ISD Scotland website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4454.html.

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pregnancies were teenage pregnancies in the NHS Forth Valley area in the most recent year for which figures are available, also broken down by postcode sector.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table contains the information requested.

  Teenage Pregnancies1 in NHS Forth Valley in 2005 by Postcode Sector

  

 NHS Board/Postcode Sector
 Percentage2,3
 95% Confidence Interval4


 Lower
 Upper


 Forth Valley NHS Board
 11.1
 10.1
 12.4


 EH49 6
 6.3
 0.0
 18.1


 EH49 7
 -
 -
 -


 EH51 0
 15.6
 7.5
 23.7


 EH51 9
 11.5
 5.4
 17.7


 FK1 1
 2.6
 0.0
 7.7


 FK1 2
 17.5
 10.6
 24.5


 FK1 3
 31.8
 12.4
 51.3


 FK1 4
 19.6
 11.5
 27.7


 FK1 5
 5.1
 0.7
 9.4


 FK10 1
 21.4
 11.8
 31.0


 FK10 2
 11.7
 7.2
 16.2


 FK10 3
 14.4
 7.4
 21.4


 FK10 4
 28.6
 13.6
 43.5


 FK11 7
 8.3
 0.0
 19.4


 FK12 5
 14.5
 5.2
 23.9


 FK13 6
 15.7
 7.2
 24.2


 FK14 7
 8.7
 0.0
 20.2


 FK15 0
 -
 -
 -


 FK15 9
 7.1
 0.4
 13.9


 FK16 6
 -
 -
 -


 FK17 8
 -
 -
 -


 FK18 8
 -
 -
 -


 FK19 8
 20.0
 0.0
 55.1


 FK2 0
 6.3
 2.7
 9.9


 FK2 7
 8.1
 3.3
 12.9


 FK2 8
 5.9
 1.7
 10.2


 FK2 9
 17.6
 10.9
 24.3


 FK20 8
 16.7
 0.0
 46.5


 FK21 8
 40.0
 0.0
 82.9


 FK3 0
 21.3
 12.1
 30.6


 FK3 8
 7.7
 1.8
 13.6


 FK3 9
 15.0
 6.0
 24.0


 FK4 1
 11.4
 5.3
 17.5


 FK4 2
 7.3
 0.4
 14.1


 FK5 3
 12.3
 4.3
 20.3


 FK5 4
 5.0
 1.6
 8.4


 FK6 5
 10.8
 4.2
 17.5


 FK6 6
 10.5
 2.6
 18.5


 FK7 0
 15.9
 7.3
 24.6


 FK7 7
 14.4
 8.7
 20.1


 FK7 8
 21.3
 11.0
 31.6


 FK7 9
 10.6
 4.4
 16.9


 FK8 1
 9.1
 3.4
 14.8


 FK8 2
 -
 -
 -


 FK8 3
 8.1
 1.3
 14.8


 FK9 4
 5.2
 0.0
 10.9


 FK9 5
 6.5
 0.3
 12.6


 G63 0
 -
 -
 -


 G63 9
 2.6
 0.0
 7.5


 KY13 0
 -
 -
 -



  ISD Scotland Data Source: SMR01 & SMR02 ref: IR2007-00695/S2W-32475.

  Notes:

  1. Females aged under 20.

  2. Percentage of all pregnancies in each postcode sector.

  3. Where the number of teenage pregnancies were between one and four the data have been barnardised. This involves some of the non-zero cells being randomly modified by the addition or subtraction of one.

  4. Due to the wide variation of size of postcode sectors and the number of pregnancies within each area confidence intervals have been given. This is to reflect the high degree of chance variation due to small numbers. The 95% confidence interval suggests that there is a 95% probability that the true underlying rate lies somewhere between the upper and lower confidence interval.

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) knee-joint replacement and (b) cataract operations were carried out by NHS Forth Valley in each year since 2000.

Mr Andy Kerr: Operations are carried out within NHSScotland in a wide range of settings dependent on a number of factors including the complexity of the operation and the clinical and personal needs of the patient.

  The number of operations and procedures undertaken as in-patients or day cases is published on the ISD Scotland website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/Annual_trends_in_surgical_procedures_hbt_February2007.xls.

  Knee replacement and cataract operations in NHS Forth Valley can be selected using the Procedure and NHS Board of Treatment menus within the file.

  Cataract operations can also be performed in an out-patient setting. From April 2003 the national reporting of surgical activity in out-patients has been required and ISD Scotland has been working with NHS boards to develop full compliance nationally. Emerging findings from the data collection for out-patient procedures are published in the data development section of the ISD Scotland website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4454.html.

Health

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31794 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2007, what the cost would be of not co-operating with public health services elsewhere in the United Kingdom in respect of computer systems, communication services and other matters.

Mr Andy Kerr: Whether to co-operate with partners on a particular development is considered on a case-by-case basis. The potential to reduce cost is one of the benefits of co-operation that would be considered in reaching a decision. While the cost of any development, co-operative or otherwise, is closely monitored any additional cost of not sharing in a development is not held centrally. In the cases highlighted in the answer to question S2W-31794 on 28 February 2007, not working closely with other public health services would have incurred substantial additional costs or other disadvantages to the provision of health services in Scotland.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the benefits of a healthy work-life balance and to encourage practical action by employers and other organisations to support this aim.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, which was established in April 2005 within NHS Health Scotland, encourages employers to adopt workplace practices and policies that support and encourage health and wellbeing. The centre offers advice to employers on developing workplace policies that support a healthy work-life balance.

  As an employer itself the Executive has in place a number of polices to enable employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance. These policies include flexible working hours, alternative working patterns and working from home.

Historic Buildings

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to build additional housing on Rum in each of the next five years; what provision will be made for affordable housing on Rum, and whether, in the work being considered in relation to Kinloch Castle, the Executive considers that holiday homes or timeshare properties should be incorporated.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Natural Heritage are currently exploring a number of options with the Rum Community Association for the provision of housing and hostel accommodation on Rum to meet its aspirations for community development and tourism, including various options for development of Kinloch Castle. Any proposals would be subject to the normal planning processes.

  A detailed planning application for the Greenhouse hostel building has been submitted to The Highland Council and is currently under consideration. At this stage, this is seen as part of a larger project involving Kinloch Castle, the nature of which would be dependent on consultation with key partners and on the availability of funding.

Hospitals

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-12000 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 February 2007 ( Official Report c. 32164) where the Minister for Health and Community Care stated that he would wait until the Health Department received the outline business case for Glasgow’s new children’s hospital before commenting on the appropriate procurement method for the hospital, why, in answer to question S2O-12341 on 15 March 2007, the minister stated that it would be built by the private sector ( Official Report c. 33310-11).

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS does not have a direct labour organisation which would build a hospital and therefore the statement simply reflects the fact that irrespective of which funding route is chosen, Glasgow’s New Children’s Hospital will be built by a private sector contractor. I do, however, remain committed to investing £100 million of public capital in the development of a gold standard new children’s hospital. This is over and above the basic formula allocation which is approximately £100 million per annum.

Hospitals

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-12341 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 March 2007 ( Official Report c. 33310-11), whether the Minister for Health and Community Care has now decided that Glasgow’s new children’s hospital will be privately financed.

Mr Andy Kerr: No decision has been taken on the procurement route for Glasgow’s new children’s hospital. This will be determined through an auditable business case process based on value for money. The underlying principle in determining the funding route to be followed in any procurement is value for money for the taxpayer. Therefore a PPP/PFI procurement approach must demonstrate better value for money, through an auditable appraisal process, than an equivalent publicly funded approach before its use is approved.

Hospitals

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-12341 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15th March 2007 ( Official Report c. 33310-11), whether it will expand on the statement that "the project in Glasgow will be built by the private sector. Of course, as the SNP is so anti-business, it could not even make a profit of that".

Mr Andy Kerr: As the NHS does not have a direct labour organisation which would build a hospital, Glasgow’s New Children’s Hospital will be built by the private sector, irrespective of the funding route agreed. It is premature to comment on the appropriate procurement route at this time as this will be determined through an auditable business case process and be based on a value for money assessment.

Hospitals

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify whether Glasgow’s new children’s hospital will be built using the public private partnership procurement route, in light of the Minister for Health and Community Cares statement that the project will be built by the private sector.

Mr Andy Kerr: As the NHS does not have a direct labour organisation which would build a hospital, Glasgow’s New Children’s Hospital will be built by the private sector, irrespective of the funding route agreed. It is premature to comment on the appropriate procurement route at this time as this will be determined through an auditable business case process and be based on value for money assessment. However, I remain committed to investing £100 million of public capital in the development of a gold standard new children’s hospital. This is over and above Glasgow’s basic capital allocation which is approximately £100 million per annum.

Justice

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what input the Crown Office has had in discussions about the definition of aggression in the Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Elish Angiolini QC: International negotiations, as a reserved matter in terms of the Scotland Act 1998, is the responsibility of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  The Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has established the "Special Working Group on the Crime of Aggression" which is discussing, among other issues, a definition of the crime of aggression and the conditions under which the Court might exercise jurisdiction over that crime.

  The Working Group’s considerations will continue ahead of the Review Conference on the Rome Statute (to take place in 2009 or 2010), where any proposals to amend the Rome Statute will be discussed.

  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will develop its strategy in preparation for the Review Conference in consultation with, among others, the Advocate General for Scotland and the Scottish Executive (including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)). In absence of any formal proposal at this early stage, COPFS has not yet been consulted.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many VI1 reports have been issued by social work departments in the last year.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many VI1 reports have been issued by social work departments in the last year as a result of violent attacks.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who have been the subject of VI1 reports issued by social work departments in the last year have also been charged by the police.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who have been the subject of VI1 reports issued by social work departments in the last year and charged by the police have had their charges proved.

Mr Robert Brown: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Scottish Outdoor Access Code meets the objective of providing guidance in determining whether or not land is subject to access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Sarah Boyack: The code provides guidance on the extent and nature of access rights in accordance with the requirements of the act. Only the courts can finally determine whether access rights apply in relation to any particular area of land.

Midwifery

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to make professional indemnity insurance a condition of registration for independent midwives.

Mr Andy Kerr: The regulation of midwives is a reserved matter. The Nursing and Midwifery Council, which is responsible for the regulation of all nurses and midwives, is a UK body set up by Parliament under the Nursing and Midwifery Order (2001).

  It is UK government policy that, through time, regulated practising healthcare professionals will be required to have adequate and appropriate indemnity cover as a condition of registration and continued registration with their professional bodies. This is already in place for a number of the health professions, including doctors, dentists, osteopaths, chiropractors and opticians. The timescale for the legislation needed to apply this new requirement to midwives has not yet been agreed.

Midwifery

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent midwives there are, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

Midwifery

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many births were attended by independent midwives in comparison with other births in each year since 2000.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

Midwifery

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives were employed by each NHS board in each year since 1999, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following tables show the headcount for midwives employed by each NHS board in each year since 1999 and year-on-year percentage changes (headcount at 30 September).

  

 NHS Board
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 NHS Argyll and Clyde 
 335
 327
 313
 304
 303
 287
 289
 x


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran 
 263
 259
 257
 254
 259
 273
 267
 275


 NHS Borders 
 81
 86
 68
 67
 70
 76
 76
 67


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
 133
 132
 124
 122
 124
 122
 123
 125


 NHS Fife 
 190
 197
 194
 190
 197
 203
 193
 205


 NHS Forth Valley 
 198
 198
 203
 204
 204
 210
 210
 202


 NHS Grampian 
 387
 401
 397
 402
 398
 391
 401
 394


 NHS Greater Glasgow 
 624
 610
 604
 590
 619
 613
 625
 x


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 856


 NHS Highland 
 270
 268
 247
 247
 242
 240
 242
 254


 NHS Lanarkshire 
 323
 319
 297
 291
 295
 294
 303
 300


 NHS Lothian 
 426
 431
 437
 446
 444
 444
 452
 455


 NHS Orkney 
 19
 19
 18
 15
 15
 13
 11
 9


 NHS Shetland
 34
 30
 32
 29
 30
 30
 26
 24


 NHS Tayside 
 300
 283
 271
 278
 269
 277
 282
 273


 NHS Western Isles 
 43
 40
 42
 36
 33
 34
 34
 31


 NHS 24
 -
 -
 -
 -
 4
 -
 -
 ..


 NHS National Services Scotland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 
 -
 -
 6


 Scotland 
 3,626
 3,600
 3,504
 3,475
 3,506
 3,507
 3,534
 3,476



  

 NHS Board
 Change
1999-2000
 Change 
2000-01
 Change 
2001-02
 Change
2002-03
 Change
2003-04
 Change
2004-05
 Change
2005-06


 NHS Argyll and Clyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran 
 -2.4%
 -4.3%
 -2.9%
 -0.3%
 -5.3%
 0.7%
 ..


 NHS Borders 
 -1.5%
 -0.8%
 -1.2%
 2.0%
 5.4%
 -2.2%
 3.0%


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
 6.2%
 -20.9%
 -1.5%
 4.5%
 8.6%
 0.0%
 -11.8%


 NHS Fife 
 -0.8%
 -6.1%
 -1.6%
 1.6%
 -1.6%
 0.8%
 1.6%


 NHS Forth Valley 
 3.7%
 -1.5%
 -2.1%
 3.7%
 3.0%
 -4.9%
 6.2%


 NHS Grampian 
 0.0%
 2.5%
 0.5%
 0.0%
 2.9%
 0.0%
 -3.8%


 NHS Greater Glasgow 
 3.6%
 -1.0%
 1.3%
 -1.0%
 -1.8%
 2.6%
 -1.7%


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 -2.2%
 -1.0%
 -2.3%
 4.9%
 -1.0%
 2.0%
 ..


 NHS Highland 
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 ..


 NHS Lanarkshire 
 -0.7%
 -7.8%
 0.0%
 -2.0%
 -0.8%
 0.8%
 5.0%


 NHS Lothian 
 -1.2%
 -6.9%
 -2.0%
 1.4%
 -0.3%
 3.1%
 -1.0%


 NHS Orkney 
 1.2%
 1.4%
 2.1%
 -0.4%
 0.0%
 1.8%
 0.7%


 NHS Shetland
 0.0%
 -5.3%
 -16.7%
 0.0%
 -13.3%
 -15.4%
 -18.2%


 NHS Tayside 
 -11.8%
 6.7%
 -9.4%
 3.4%
 0.0%
 -13.3%
 -7.7%


 NHS Western Isles 
 -5.7%
 -4.2%
 2.6%
 -3.2%
 3.0%
 1.8%
 -3.2%


 NHS 24
 -7.0%
 5.0%
 -14.3%
 -8.3%
 3.0%
 0.0%
 -8.8%


 NHS National Services Scotland
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 ..


 Scotland 
 -0.7%
 -2.7%
 -0.8%
 0.9%
 0.0%
 0.8%
 -1.6%



  Notes:

  1. The figures are presented in the same groupings as for previous years and the details for employees who have been assimilated to Agenda for Change have been "mapped back" as far as possible to the coding used under Whitley to ensure consistency in trend data.

  2. During the preview period for the release of national statistics, NHS 24 identified a discrepancy with the 2006 data which ISD are investigating further, therefore 2006 figures for NHS 24 are not shown.

  Symbols and abbreviations:

  " - " nil.

  "x" not applicable.

  ".." not available.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attendances there were at each accident and emergency centre in NHS Forth Valley in each year since 2000.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of attendances at each accident and emergency centre in NHS Forth Valley is shown in the following table.

  Table 1: Accident and Emergency Attendances in NHS Forth Valley by Hospital; Years Ended 31 March 2000 to 2006

  

 Hospital/Location
 Year Ending 31 March:


 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006P


 Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary
 40,662
 40,959
 41,626
 39,623
 38,386
 39,136
 30,121


 Stirling Royal Infirmary
 35,909
 35,583
 35,602
 35,596
 36,644
 38,172
 43,149


 Total
 76,571
 76,542
 77,228
 75,219
 75,030
 77,308
 73,270



  PProvisional.

NHS Staff

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all doctors applying under the Modernising Medical Careers recruitment and selection process get an interview for a Scottish appointment.

Mr Andy Kerr: Selection and recruitment to Specialty Training at both UK and Scottish levels has been the subject of review by a group chaired by Professor Neil Douglas, President Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh and including representatives from the four UK Health Departments and the Academy of medical Royal Colleges. The group reported on 26 March 2007 and we are now considering their recommendations. A range of options are being discussed but I am confident that we can agree a way forward which is seen as being fair to all doctors who have applied to Scotland.

  I would also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-32353 on 21 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

NHS Staff

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants were granted merit awards in each year since 1990, broken down by (a) speciality and (b) NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on merit awards broken down by specialty and NHS board from 1996 onwards can be found in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42388). It has not been possible to provide details of merit awards broken down in this manner prior to 1996, as this information is not available.

  Information on the total number of awards granted from 1990 until 2006 is however available at the above location.

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what proportion of patients with Availability Status Codes have waited (a) under six, (b) six to 12, (c) over 12 and (d) over 24 months for hospital in-patient treatment in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available centrally.

  The recording of Availability Status Codes (ASCs) on in-patient/day case discharge data is not mandatory and consistency of recording will vary across NHSScotland. It is not possible therefore to establish exactly how many patients had an ASC applied and to distinguish precisely between those patients eligible for waiting times standards and those that are ineligible. For this reason, routinely published waiting times figures are based on all in-patients/day cases regardless of whether they have an ASC code.

  Census data, provided by NHS boards to ISD Scotland and published each quarter, shows the number of patients waiting over specified periods as at the census date. This census data does identify all patients with an Availability Status Code and it is therefore possible to report on the number of patients with a guarantee and an Availability Status Code waiting over specified periods on that particular census date.

  Availability Status Codes will be abolished at the end of this year and replaced by a new system of defining and measuring waiting which will be clearer, more consistent and fairer to patients. The new approach will balance the responsibility of the NHS to provide care and treatment quickly with patients responsibility to make sure they attend appointments and do not change appointments once agreed.

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number was of people on waiting lists for (a) radiotherapy, (b) chemotherapy and (c) other treatments for prostate cancer in the latest period for which figures are available and what the average waiting time was during that period.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available centrally.

National Parks

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it is appropriate for national park authorities to grant planning permission for the building of residential property in areas where there is a risk of flooding once in every 200 years and whether the Cairngorms National Park Authority has a policy in relation to residential properties being constructed on flood plains.

Des McNulty: It is for the Cairngorms National Park Authority to consider planning applications. If, however, the authority wishes to grant permission contrary to the advice of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on flood risk, the application has to be notified to the Scottish ministers who may call it in for their own consideration.

  The consultative draft Cairngorms National Park Local Plan contains policies in relation to development on the flood plain.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive who assesses the allocation of Regional Selective Assistance.

Allan Wilson: Applications for Regional Selective Assistance are assessed, against the published scheme criteria, by Scottish Executive officials in the Innovation and Investment Grants Unit. The Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board provides independent advice on grants of more than £250,000.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what checks are carried out on companies applying for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) and whether these are conducted by independent auditors assigned by its Innovation and Investment Grants Unit.

Allan Wilson: All applications for RSA are assessed against the scheme criteria by Scottish Executive officials. This includes an assessment of viability, need for support and economic benefit. Additional information can also be requested on the company and/or the directors depending on the responses provided in the application form regarding previous disqualifications, bankruptcies, insolvency actions and requests for repayment grant under any government schemes. Officials also ensure that details are consistent with information held at Companies House.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what checks are carried out on directors of companies applying for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA).

Allan Wilson: When applying for RSA grants we require directors of companies to declare whether they have been, (a) disqualified from being a company director; (b) bankrupt; (c) subject to any form of insolvency procedures such as receivership, liquidation and administration and (d) requested to repay a grant under any Government scheme. Where necessary we would seek to obtain additional information on directors or companies from external sources including Companies House.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies applying for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) in Scotland have their headquarters outside Scotland.

Allan Wilson: In the last five calendar years to end December 2006, the Executive has received 1,238 applications for RSA, 414 of which have their headquarters outside Scotland.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government about the number of companies in receipt of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) that are operating without a PAYE system.

Allan Wilson: None. We are not aware of any company in receipt of RSA that is not operating a PAYE system.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed evaluation, consultation and review companies will be subject to when applying for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA).

Allan Wilson: Applications for RSA are assessed, against the scheme criteria, by Executive Officials in the Innovation and Investment Grants unit. The scheme criteria require that an assessment be made of viability, need for support and economic benefit. In assessing applications, officials will, if necessary seek to obtain additional information on directors and companies from external sources. Each application is assessed on its own merits but the larger the grant the greater the scrutiny. We do offer a more streamlined process for applications up to £250,000, but in cases over £250,000, the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board provides independent advice before grant is offered.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new tier of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and the simplification of the national grant structure will impact on the effectiveness of checks on these companies prior to them obtaining a grant.

Allan Wilson: The new tier of RSA for SMEs and simplification of the grant structure is aimed at encouraging as many eligible small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) as possible to access grant. All RSA applications will be assessed against the scheme criteria. As at present, the level of scrutiny will depend on the amount of grant requested but there will be no reduction in the effectiveness of checks as a result of the new arrangements.

Regional Selective Assistance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average turnaround in days is for obtaining Regional Selective Assistance (Regional Selective Assistance) from application to (a) decision and (b) receipt of funding.

Allan Wilson: The average turnaround from application to decision for the last financial year are noted as follows. Additionally, average since November 2002 (date these targets were introduced) to October 2006, are noted in brackets.

  

 Grant Size
 Target
 Outcome


 Up to £50,000
 10 days
 10 days (13)


 Between £50,000 and £250,000
 20 days
 19 days (20)


 Over £250,000
 40 days
 30 days (30)



  RSA is payable in instalments only after jobs and capital expenditure targets are met. Payment of grant depends on the progress of each project and is outwith the departments control, as such we do not maintain records of the average time from date of application to receipt of funding. We have a target to authorise 95% of claims within five working days of the company providing the full documentation required to process the claim. If the claim is not fully documented when received we have a further target of 10 days to contact the applicant to detail what information is required to process the claim. These targets have been met in full for the same period as above (November 2002 to October 2006).

Scottish Executive Departments

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive when more detailed information will be available on the consolidation of its Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department’s grant management and delivery functions within a single new operational division.

Allan Wilson: The consolidation of grant management and delivery functions for research and development and Regional Selective Grants (RSA) grants within the Enterprise Transport and Lifelong Learning Department took place in January 2007. Details of the new Innovation and Investment Grants (IIG) division which replaced the former RSA Scotland division and part of the Business Growth and Innovation division is as follows; Branch 1 – RSA; Branch 2 – Innovation; Branch 3 – Grant Management, and Branch 4 - State Aid Unit.

  In addition, a new independent website for IIG is being finalised and will be launched in the very near future.

Scottish Executive Departments

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive whether new posts will be created as a result of the consolidation of its Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department’s grant management and delivery functions within a single new operational division.

Allan Wilson: No.

Sexual Health

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards provide postal testing kits for chlamydia, also broken down by board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Three NHS boards currently provide Postal Testing Kits for chlamydia to their patients. These are NHS Lothian, NHS Borders and NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Sexual Health

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when a national procurement contract for postal testing kits for chlamydia will be established.

Mr Andy Kerr: The anticipated volume of postal testing kits for chlamydia required by NHS boards does not merit a national contract.

  However, Healthy Respect, the national health demonstration project, based in NHS Lothian will process orders on behalf of NHS boards to ensure a cost effective purchasing arrangement.

  A workshop for NHS boards to learn more about the systems needed prior to placing an order for kits is being hosted by Healthy Respect.

Tattooing and Skin Piercing

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was a working group on the licensing of skin piercing and tattooing and, if so, who its members were, what the background was of each member and on what basis they were appointed to the group.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Licensing of Skin Piercing and Tattooing Working Group was established in June 2006, in response to the introduction of the licensing of skin piercing and tattooing in Scotland.

  The core membership of the working group was based on the existing Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland group who have professional responsibility for this area. Additional members were invited from Health Protection Scotland, Scottish Executive and the 32 local authorities in Scotland.

  Morag Sangster and Mark Perry from the Tattooing and Piercing Industry Union (TPI); Julian Ball from Prestige Medical Ltd and John Manolakis from the Ear Piercing Manufacturers of Europe Ltd participated in an advisory role.

  The membership of the group is as follows:

  
Mr Graham Robertson (Chair), Executive Council Member, REHIS
Dr Carole McRae, Epidemiologist, Health Protection Scotland 
Mrs Kerry Chalmers, Public Health Team, Scottish Executive
Mr Simon Brownlee, East Dunbarton Council, West of Scotland Liaison Group 
Mr Steve Dunn, Perth and Kinross Council, Central, Fife and Tayside Group 
Miss Ruth Ewing, Dundee City Council, Central, Fife and Tayside Group 
Mr Martin Gibb, Glasgow City Council, West of Scotland Liaison Group 
Mr John Lee, Highland Council, North of Scotland Liaison Group 
Ms Lorrainne MacGillivray, West Dunbarton Council, West of Scotland Group 
Mr Iain McCluskey, West Lothian Council, Lothian and Borders Group 
Miss Heather Taylor, Edinburgh City Council, Lothian and Borders Group. 


  As a result of the Working Group amendments were made to the licensing regulation in Scotland, a national training event was held and national conditions and guidance were produced.

UK Biodiversity Action Plan

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that its target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 is met and what resources have been made available since 2005 for programmes to implement the species and habitat action plans that make up the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding streams it manages or utilises to fund the work necessary to meet its target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010, as set out in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, and what steps it is taking to enhance this funding to prevent a possible shortfall of 43 million per annum, identified in UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Preparing Costings for Species and Habitat Action Plans .

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is committed to working to meet the European Union’s target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010. The Scottish Executive achieves this by setting the policy framework and by funding implementation action directly and through other bodies. The public, private and voluntary sectors also undertake a wide variety of action to conserve and enhance biodiversity.

  The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy sets out a framework for action for all public bodies to integrate biodiversity actions into their core business.

  Scottish Executive’s direct support for land managers through agri-environment and other funding mechanisms is important in delivering benefits for biodiversity.

  Conserving biodiversity is a central element of much of the work of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), both directly through its own activities, and through supporting others through grants. Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) also contribute significantly to biodiversity, through grant payments to private woodland owners and through expenditure on the National Forest Estate.

  In the 2007-08 financial year SNH have committed an extra 1 million for implementing the Species Framework through targeted action for a number of biodiversity priority species that are still declining (such as black grouse, great yellow bumble bee and also the red squirrel). SNH will also continue to support effort on a number of species which are doing better such as corncrake, through SNH Natural Care Schemes until the land management contracts come on line.

  Action under the UKBAP is taken forward by a wide partnership of organisations who collectively allocate resources of all kinds to achieve their objectives. A recent draft consultants report on biodiversity-related spend provides the following figures for the current spending by key players in Scotland:

  Annual Expenditure Estimates Relating to Biodiversity in Scotland

  

 Scotland
 
 Current Annual BAP Expenditure
 Year*


 Scottish Executive (Environment and Rural Affairs Department)
 Relevant Agri-Environment Schemes
 20,221,768
 2005-06


 Forestry Commission Scotland 
 Total Biodiversity Related Expenditure
 20,500,000
 2006-07


 Scottish Natural Heritage 
 Biodiversity Related Expenditure
 20,320,000
 2005-06


 Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) Organisations 
 Estimated Spending on Nature Conservation
 23,403,082
 2004-05



  Source: UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Preparing Costings for Species and Habitats Action Plans, Updating Estimates of Current and Future BAP Expenditures in the UK, Draft Final Report to DEFRA and Partners, GHK Consulting Ltd, March 2007.

  Note: *(2005-06 prices).

  Other organisations, including Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund also provide funding for biodiversity action.

  The European Commission’s LIFE-Nature fund also provides funds for biodiversity projects relating to Natura 2000 sites.

  In addition, public bodies across Scotland are actively engaged in furthering biodiversity conservation, as required by the biodiversity duty in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

  The Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage, along with other Government departments, are currently considering the revised UKBAP targets and their implications for future delivery of biodiversity action.

UK Biodiversity Action Plan

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which priority species, identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, are declining in Scotland and what action is proposed to address their conservation needs.

Sarah Boyack: The most recent overview of implementation of the actions required to conserve and enhance the priority species and habitats listed under the UK Biodiversity Action plan comes from an analysis of 2005 data. This data shows that 60 species are either stable or increasing in Scotland whilst 29 species are declining. Thirteen (13) priority habitats are stable or increasing with 13 priority habitats in decline. In some instances the rate of decline has slowed since the previous reporting periods of 1999 and 2002 which helps demonstrate that much of the action taken to date is having a positive effect. For a significant number of species (65) and habitats (14) the survey information is not readily available to determine how these are faring. Only by gaining a better assessment of trends for these species and habitats will we be able to assess how effective Scotland’s contribution to meeting the 2010 target will be. Survey effort will therefore be concentrated in these areas over the coming years.

  The information from the 2005 data shows that some of the most significant factors likely to be contributing to decline of species and habitats are habitat loss through agriculture, development encroachment and the effects of pollution. Climate change is an added pressure although the extent of its impact needs to be fully assessed. Action to address these issues will continue to involve a number of measures including further research to understand the causes of change and active management of certain habitats which will be supported through land management contracts. Examples of such measures are inclusion of an action to manage species-rich hedgerows, the joint-working programme for management of deer, and direct action for some species such as those identified in Scottish Natural Heritage’s Species Action Framework which will target an additional 1 million of resources in financial year 2007-08. Effective implementation of the duty arising from the Nature Conservation Scotland Act (2004) on public bodies to further conservation of biodiversity is also an important support to delivery.

Vaccinations

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review and evaluate the impact of Prevenar on pneumococcal immunisation and, if so, when it will do so.

Mr Andy Kerr: Health Protection Scotland is monitoring the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in children and adults to detect any reductions in its occurrence. It will then evaluate the impact of the introduction of Prevenar into the routine childhood immunisation schedule and the current catch-up campaign.

Vaccinations

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have received pneumococcal immunisation since 12 July 2006 under the catch-up campaign referred to in a letter of that date from the Chief Medical Officer and whether there are any outstanding cases.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on immunisation is recorded on the Scottish Immunisation Recall System (SIRS). Information Services Division (ISD), produce quarterly figures for Scotland on immunisation uptake using that information. ISD is still compiling the information on immunisation uptake under the catch up campaign. This information will be published later in 2007.

Vaccinations

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what figures are available for the number of children who have not received pneumococcal immunisation since 12 July 2006 under the catch-up campaign referred to in a letter of that date from the Chief Medical Officer, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on immunisation is recorded on the Scottish Immunisation Recall System (SIRS). Information Services Division (ISD), produce quarterly figures for Scotland on immunisation uptake using that information. ISD is still compiling the information on immunisation uptake under the catch up campaign. This information will be published later in 2007.